Buenos Aires, Argentina— A man was stabbed to death in a narrow alley off Corrientes Avenue at around 9:40 p.m. Monday, and police arrested a suspect two blocks away after a short foot chase through downtown.
The victim, a 34-year-old street vendor, was found lying near trash bins with multiple stab wounds to the chest. Paramedics from SAME attempted to resuscitate him but declared him dead at the scene. A bloodied knife was recovered nearby.
City police said the attack followed an argument between the victim and another man over vending space. Witnesses said shouting escalated, then one man pulled a knife and lunged. The alley is lined with kiosks and bars and is usually crowded until midnight.
"He was yelling to move his cart. Then they pushed. I saw the knife flash," said a kiosk owner who called 911 and asked not to be named for fear of reprisal.
Patrol officers who were on foot nearby heard screams and ran toward the alley. They found the suspect, a 27-year-old with prior theft charges, hiding behind a parked delivery van with blood on his hands and shirt.
"Officers secured the knife and the suspect’s clothing. The suspect had minor cuts and claimed self-defense. That will be tested against video," a police spokesperson said at a precinct briefing.
Security cameras from a bar captured part of the confrontation. Investigators are reviewing footage to establish whether the victim was armed. No other weapons were found at the scene.
The downtown area has seen tensions between formal shop owners and informal vendors. The city government has tried to regulate street vending but enforcement remains patchy.
The victim’s family arrived at the scene and was escorted by victim assistance officers. The city closed the alley for forensic work until 1 a.m.
The suspect is held at a central comisaría awaiting a prosecutor’s hearing Tuesday morning on homicide charges.
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